Middlesbrough 1-1 Sunderland: Supersub and huge error combine to rescue good point from indifferent display

A late goal from Nazariy Rusyn helped land Sunderland a valuable point away at Middlesbrough on Sunday lunchtime.

Middlesbrough looked to be cutting the gap between the two sides on a big day in the play-ff race after Marcus Forss' goal early in the second half, but Rusyn's late strike levelled the scores.

Here's the story of the game and its key talking points from a Sunderland perspective...

MIDDLESBROUGH SPURN AN EARLY OPENING

Beale opted to make just one change to his Sunderland side, bringing Leo Hjelde straight into the starting XI after being impressed with what he had seen int raining. Though harsh on Jenson Seelt, you could see the logic immediately as Trai Hume enjoyed a lot of early space on his favoured right side, especially with Middlesbrough's narrow front three.

It was the Black Cats who impressed early on, Pierre Ekwah whistling a free kick just over the bar. But it was Middlesbrough who had the better of the early chances, Hume making a good covering block to deny Greenwood. The former Sunderland academy product then enjoyed a huge opening when Engel sprung him clear with a through ball, the striker delaying the shot just too long and allowing Patterson to save. The ball broke kindly for Azaz, though, and with the goal gaping he could only blaze well over the bar.

PLENTY OF OPENINGS - BUT FEW CHANCES

Both sides continued to trade dangerous breaks in what was an open game, but lacked the quality in the final third to really make it count. Middlesbrough were putting together some good passing moves, on a number of occasions getting a runner in behind Sunderland's defensive line. They looked the more dangerous but oo often their decision making and execution was poor, leaving Patterson without a great deal to do.

Sunderland did have their moments, mostly through the two wide players. Clarke drew a save from Glover at his near post when he burst past his right back, before Ba drove a poor effort into the side netting from a similarly narrow angle. In fairness to Ba, it was a moment where he needed a team mate to be bursting into the six-yard box. Both sides lacked that throughout the half, in truth.

BA SPURNS BIGGEST CHANCE YET

Ba was presented with a golden opportunity just before the break when Boro ceded possession in a poor area. Clarke broke into the box and looked certain to shoot, but instead opted at the last minute to slide the ball across goal just as he done a week previous. Ba was again left in space, but could only drive his effort straight at the covering defender on the line.

It was a huge miss and the youngster had to do better, though in his defence he is consistently proving to be one of the few Sunderland players getting into those goalscoring positions inside the box.

BORO TAKE CONTROL IN THE SECOND HALF

The first half had been a relatively even contest but it was the home side who dominated the start of the second half. They looked to have won a penalty when Greenwood again broke free behind the defence and went down under a challenge from Patterson, but the offside flag was correctly raised.

It was Middlesbrough making all of the running and Sunderland were fortunate that when Patterson was played into trouble, his attempted pass out struck Forss but dropped wide of the post. Forss was then denied a tap-in only by a good covering challenge from Hjelde before the pressure eventually told. There was some fortune in the goal as a free kick taken short was deflected by Ekwah into Forss' path, but the touch and finish from the Boro forward was sublime - and it was a fair result on the balance of the half to date. Sunderland, though, felt the foul from which the free kick was given should have given the other way, and they seemed to have a decent case on that front.

Boro should have doubled their lead minutes later, Greenwood turning wide when played on on goal by Engel. It had been a dismal second-half showing from Sunderland, with Beale then turning to Rusyn and the returning Patrick Roberts.

GOALKEEPER ERROR SAVES SUNDERLAND

Sunderland had barely threatened in the second half and Boro looked to be in complete control heading into the final stages. Sunderland did close when Ballard flicked Clarke's free kick inches wide of the far post, but a goal still seemed unlikely.

That changed with more brilliant play from Jack Clarke, driving deep into the Middlesbrough half on the break and playing Rusyn in with an excellent switch of play. Rusyn caught Glover off guard in the Middlesbrough goal by driving a right-footed effort at his near post, but it was never a shot that should have found its way. To the delight of the away end, it somehow did.

INDIFFERENT PERFORMANCE - GOOD RESULT

Sunderland actually ended this game well on top, with Clarke suddenly pouring forward and causing Middlesbrough all sorts of problems. To Rusyn's credit, his energy and application had made a big difference in hauling his team back into the game. It's also fair to say that Middlesbrough's changes seemed to noticeably weaken their their forward play, with Sunderland finally able tpo get up the pitch and feed Clarke.

After the win at Stoke the end result was a decent point on the back of the Stoke win. Middlesbrough, though, will be wondering how they managed not win the game given their level of dominance over large swathes of the second half. Sunderland are right in the mix for the top six but they will need to improve considerably from the level they produced in the second half.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Hjelde; Neil, Ekwah, Jobe; Ba (Roberts, 67), Clarke, Burstow (Rusyn, 67)

Subs: Bishop, Pembele, Seelt, Hemir, Mundle, Aouchiche, Kelly

Middlesbrough XI: Glover; Ayling, van den Berg, Fry, Engel (Thomas, 83); Howson, Barlaser (O'Brien, 76), Hackney; Forss (Silvera, 76), Azaz, Greenwood (Coburn, 76)

Subs: Jones, Clarke, Gilbert, Dijksteel, McNair

Bookings: Hume, 14 Engel, 33 Ba, 33 Greenwood, 74 Ayling, 78 Ekwah, 90